Curried Singapore-Style Noodles

Every time I post a blog entry, I feel like I need to have a story to go along with it. This one is short and simple. I asked Jordan to cook something for dinner while I was at gym boot camp one night and this is what he came up with. Its really tasty and delicious. He made it with chicken, but I think it would taste great with shrimp too.

Adapted from Hannaford Fresh (March-April 2009)

Ingredients

• 3/4 lb angel hair pasta
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 C low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1/4 C low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 C carrots, julienned
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 1 medium zucchini, julienned
• 2 medium leeks, white parts only, sliced into thin rings
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp ginger, minced
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 2 tsp asian-style hot chili sauce

Optional Ingredients

• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 2 8-oz. packages of super-firm tofu, drained, patted dry, and cubed
• 1 lb large shrimp (41-50 count), peeled, deveined, tails removed
• 1 lb chicken, cubed

Recipe

1. Cook pasta in salted water until al dente (~4-5 minutes). Drain. Return to pot and toss with sesame oil.
2. In a small bowl, mix vegetable broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, and vinegar. This will be the sauce to add later.
   
3. Prepare optional ingredients over med-high heat with 2 tsp oil (chicken (~10 mins), tofu (~5 mins), shrimp (~2-3 mins)). Set aside when done and tent with aluminum foil.
4. In same or different pan from chicken, add the leeks, carrots, bell pepper, and zucchini. Cook and continuously stir for 4 minutes.
5. Add remaining ingredients (scallions, garlic, ginger, curry powder, hot chili sauce). Stir in and cook for 1 minute.
6. Add optional ingredients.
7. Pour vegetables over noodles and mix until evenly distributed.
8. Pour sauce over noodles, stirring once again until evenly distributed. Re-heat mixture over med-high heat and serve.

Servings Original recipe says 4, I say 5-6.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

I wanted to bake something last weekend - so I made two bread recipes. This is the better of the two (because of all the delicious chocolate). The bread tasted the best right after it came out of the oven. It was warm, moist, and the chocolate chips were still a little melted. This recipe was originally a cupcake recipe. I didn't change any of the ingredients or ratios. So the bread is very crumbly - like a cupcake would be (but still delicious). I also think this would have tasted good with some added nuts (e.g. walnuts). Enjoy!

Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 C brown sugar
• 1/4 C melted butter
• 3/4 C oil*
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 C buttermilk
• 2 C grated zucchini
• 1 C chocolate chips
• 2 C flour
• 1 C cocoa, sifted
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

*The recipe called for vegetable oil. 101 cookbooks suggested using unrefined, scented, all natural coconut oil. I bought coconut oil - and found out when I got home that it was refined. So, it had no coconut aroma and I was VERY disappointed (because I love coconut). So, if you're going to the coconut oil route, go for the unrefined. If you're going to vegetable oil route, use half oil, half all-natural apple sauce. It will still be as moist and delicious - and slightly better for you than using all oil.

Recipe

1. Heat oven to 350 deg F. Grease 2 loaf pans (I like to use Pam Baking Spray because its easier than buttering and then flouring a baking surface).
2. In a small to medium bowl, combine the sugar, butter, and oil. Once mixed, add the eggs, one at a time. Then add the zucchini, chocolate chips, and buttermilk. Mix until combined.
3. In a large bowl add the remaining dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon). Once mixed, slowly add the wet ingredients (from step 2) until well combined.
4. Pour half of the mixture into each loaf pan.
5. Bake one at a time for approximately 35-45 minutes, until just done (or until no batter comes out on a knife inserted in the center).

Servings 2 loaves - probably 10-12 servings each?

Zucchini Carrot Bread

I love zucchini bread, zucchini muffins, etc. For this recipe, I cut down the sugar a little and subbed out some of the zucchini for carrots. I made one loaf with dried cranberries and walnuts and the other one plain. This recipe makes 2 loafs.

recipe adapted from Simply Recipes

Ingredients:
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup grated carrot
2/3 cup melted unsalted butter
2 teaspoons baking soda
Pinch salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 cup dried cranberries (optional)

Directions:
1. preheat oven to 350°F
2. in a large bowl, combine sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
3. mix in grated zucchini and carrots and then melted butter
4. sprinkle baking soda and salt over mixture and blend
5. add the flour, a third at a time
6. add spices
7. fold in nuts and cranberries if using
8. divide batter between 2 buttered loaf pans
9. bake for 50 minutes or until toothpick is clean
10. cool in pans for 10 minutes and then on wire racks

Zucchini and Basil Muffins

I have an excess of zucchini so have been searching for some recipes to make use of it. This is a savory muffin and doesn't have much sugar in it at all. I used soy milk and a 50/50 blend of white flour and whole wheat so they were probably a little denser then the original recipe. I don't think the basil came through much in the final product so I think I would add a little more next time. These are best warm right out of the oven and definitely benefit from reheating (I just popped them in the toaster oven for a few minutes). I had dreams of making them into savory little sandwiches but they would have been tiny. These are muffins so be careful not to over mix. Just blend the wet and dry until just combined and then add the zucchini and basil.

recipe from Just Hungry

• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbs. baking powder
• 2 cups grated zucchini (about 2 medium zucchini)
• 2 Tbs finely julienned fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or similar hard grating cheese

Blend the eggs, milk and oil in a large bowl. In a second bowl blend the dry ingredients. Add the dry to the wet and stir until just combined. Stir in zucchini and basil.

Fill greased muffins tins about half full. Sprinkle with cheese. (I put the muffins in the oven for 5 minutes before I added the cheese to let the heat level out the batter a little).

Bake in 425 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.

Easy Primavera

I have basically decided that you can't go wrong with fresh veggies cook gently and serve with a starch (whether it is spaghetti, couscous, quinoa, etc). Topping with a little bit of cheese and fresh herbs doesn't hurt either. This recipe was supposed to be a primavera but I am not sure if it is. Roma beans are wide a flat and came in my CSA but any bean or vegetable substitution should work well.

inspired by a recipe in my CSA which was inspired by a recipe that she couldn't remember who to credit

Ingredients:

• small onion, diced
• two zucchini/summer squash, quartered and sliced
• a handful of Roma beans, ends trimmed, snapped into bite sized pieces
• two cloves garlic, minced
• handful of cherry tomatoes, quartered
  
• 1/3 cup fresh herb of your choice (cinnamon basil, basil, summer savory) minced
• olive oil
• spaghetti
• freshly grated parmesan (I actually use pre-shredded asiago)
  
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• boil water and make some spaghetti
  
• sauté onion with olive oil
• add squash, beans, and garlic, until crisp tender
• add salt and pepper here or later (or both)
  
• when pasta is almost done add tomatoes for a minute or two and then add herbs
  
• put pasta in a bowl, top with veggies, and sprinkle with cheese